How to take good Instagram photos when you travel

1. Get high – Everything looks better, or at least different, when seen from above. Seek out viewing platforms, sky bars, cable car rides and overhead walkways for expansive perspectives.

Hide Caption

1 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

2. Learn from locals – You can find photogenic spots in the places you visit through hashtags, geotags and feeds of local Instagrammers. A photographer I knew through Instagram pointed me in the direction of this colorful staircase.

Hide Caption

2 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

3. Don't tune out while in transit – Architecture and activity at airports and rail stations provide rich photo opportunities. Flights from southern China to Europe can offer majestic views of mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, like this one.

Hide Caption

3 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

4. Get lost – Some of the most memorable pictures can be those you stumble upon when exploring a less frequented area. In Thailand, I turned my back on the beach one afternoon and found this enticing alley of trees.

Hide Caption

4 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

5. Pack extras – Lens attachments, like the Olloclip, provide fisheye, wide-angle and macro options. Flexible tripods, like the GorillaPod, allow you to set up long-exposure shots using apps like Average Camera Pro and Slow Shutter Cam.

Hide Caption

5 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

6. Use the right apps – Editing apps like Snapseed, Afterlight (both of which I used in this photo) and VSCO Cam allow you to tinker with images in a gentle manner. I edit nearly every Instagram I take using these tools.

8. Plan your sunrises and sunsets – Think about where to be for the rewarding light conditions at the start and end of the day. Apps like Sun Seeker can tell you the sun's predicted path through the sky.

Hide Caption

8 of 9

Travel instagram9 photos

9. Look up – In surroundings that feel cramped or cluttered, tilt your head back and see what lies above. In cities, clusters of skyscrapers or geometrically arranged facades work well. Forests of tall trees are also eye-catching.

Hide Caption

9 of 9

Story highlights

CNN's Jethro Mullen gained nearly 800,000 Instagram followers

He shares some tips for improving pics when you travel

Get up high, get lost and use editing tools are just some of his suggestions

Instagram has around 150 million active users

With about 150 million active users, the mobile photo-sharing app Instagram has become a popular way for people to document their lives.

It lends itself particularly well to travel, when even the most reluctant photographer can be tempted to take a few pictures.